Alice in Deadland
by megamorr
Summary: Part of the VA Does Disney project: After waking up to a strange, new world, Lissa embarks on a journey to get herself back to St. Vladimir's Academy. However, her fleeting memory and her new group of bizarre friends reveal some dark secrets that pull her in another direction. (Three-shot)
1. Chapter 1

**Lissa POV**

 **Songs:** White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane, Ray Gun by the bird and the bee, Pocketful of Rainbows by Elvis Presley, The Listening Chair by Imogen Heap

I could feel the moist grass mold between my fingertips as my limbs slowly started to wake.

The smell of morning dew wrapped around me like a fresh blanket and I reveled in the scent. I must have fallen asleep outside again. I remember sneaking out to gaze at the stars—they always looked so beautiful just before dawn.

The dew was starting to seep into the back of my dress, signaling it was time to get up. Not ready to open my eyes yet, I pushed up onto my forearms and slowly rolled my upper body to a seated position. I brought my stiff legs into my chest and perched my elbows on my knees, resting my face in my damp hands. After a few more moments of savoring the sweet smells around me, I decided it was time to head back to my room.

However, when my lids finally rose to reveal the familiar morning view, a new surrounding was in its place. I blinked a few times to make sure I was actually awake and each time the scene stayed the same. Where sleek stone columns and towering brick walls once stood, were now endless trees and strange plants. Had I sleepwalked into the woods and past the wards? I slowly rose from the ground and said a quick thanks to Vlad that it was daylight out. I started to look around to see if there was a familiar direction back to the academy, but everything seemed foreign to me.

"Where am I?" My voice sounded muffled like I was in a bubble. _How strange_. I took a few steps towards one of the shrubberies across the way. The leaves were lime green and slick like they were coated in water. There were multicolored flowers poking out that I had never seen before. Their giant rippled petals, a mix of pinks, yellows, and blues, looked similar to a water poppy but their pistils were elongated and spiraled, each one a different color than it's bud. I reached my hand out to touch one of the mysterious flowers, but right as my fingertips brushed against it, they all retreated into the bush as if something had sucked them in.

Startled, I jumped back and let out a small squeak. "What was that," I thought aloud. My voice still sounded strange and I looked around to see what could be causing it. As I turned away from the brush, I suddenly heard light rustling through the trees nearby. I started to panic thinking a Strigoi had discovered my location but was quickly reminded that it was daylight out and it was impossible for one to be out in the sun. The noise from the crinkling leaves quickened and I spotted movement out of the corner of my eye.

I whipped around and started walking towards what appeared to be an oleander bush moving from side to side. The closer I got, the more the rustling increased until I was right in front of it—it completely stilled. "Curious," my voice sounded more clear this time, to my delight.

Just as I was about to turn away something white and fluffy sprang from the bush and flew inches from my face. "Blaagghh!" An ungraceful shriek escaped my mouth. I righted myself and looked around for the elusive figure that had startled me. My racing heart began to settle when my eyes landed on the small intruder. It was a white rabbit. Despite the damp terrain, his fur was impeccably clean and his icy blue eyes glistened in the dim sunlight.

"So you're what the fuss is all about? You gave me a fright," I said to the rabbit. I should have been mildly concerned that I was trying to converse with a small animal, but what happened next took my fretfulness to a whole new level.

"Apologies, love. Didn't mean to scare you," the white rabbit replied. I stood there, completely stupefied. I had to be imagining this. Did I hit my head during my sleepwalk? That would explain the muffled sound earlier. But he sounded so real and oddly familiar.

"Did you...Did you just talk?!" The rabbit stared back at me with those crystal eyes and twitched its nose. I let out a relieved sigh and shook my head. My mind must have been playing tricks on me.

"Of course I did, it would be rude not to." My eyes shot back to the rabbit and a small smile crept up his face. "WOAH! What the...how did...what are you," I sputtered.

"Hmm, I thought that would be obvious. Not a very bright one, are you?" The rabbit crossed his front paws over his chest and furrowed his brows.

"That's not what I meant, you see I was—"

"What you meant," the rabbit interjected. "Was, _where_ are you?" His knowing look was oddly human, and again I felt like there was something familiar about him.

"Yes, it appears I'm a bit lost," I skeptically replied.

"I figured. That's why I hopped over. I thought you could use some pointing in the right direction. Didn't know I would be shouted at in the process or I would have just let you be," he stuck his nose up and seemed...offended.

"Apologies, Mr...uh...rabbit. I didn't mean to offend. I'm a bit out of sorts. Did you say you knew the way back to where I came from?" The excitement that he knew how to get me home was overtaking my initial speculation of his ability to speak.

"Yes, weren't you listening?" His snarky banter was starting to annoy me. "It's not far. I can show you the way, Alice."

"Actually, it's Lissa," I replied with a little more surliness than intended

"Pfft yeah, sure it is. And I'm Peter Bloody Cotton—" a strange ticking sound stopped him mid-sentence and he pulled out a small silver pocket watch from Vlad knows where. His blue eyes shot up when he saw the watch's face and he started to bustle about. "Oh, bugger I'm late. I'm late, I'm late, I'm late. Gotta run." Suddenly he turned around and hopped back into the forest.

"Wait," I called out to him. "You haven't shown me the way." I stood in place, hesitating to go after him. The forest was dense and I didn't want to get even more lost. So far this place was extremely peculiar and who knows what else was out there. I could see a bush here and there wiggle as he passed by them and before I could talk myself out of it and they became out of reach, I launched myself into the woods.

Low hanging branches whipped by my face and small thorny bushes tore at my hem, but I kept my eyes on the white rabbit's path. I was starting to feel winded and slightly dizzy and had to slow my pace. Eventually, I found myself completely stopped with my hands on my knees, taking in deep inhales that burned my lungs. After a few moments to compose myself I looked up to see stillness in the woods.

"Damnit!" I'd lost him.

I frustratingly pulled at my stringy hair and kicked a pile of fallen leaves nearby. I looked up to the sky and could still see the sun shining overhead through the tops of the trees. Well, at least I was still safe from the Strigoi...for now. I placed my hands on my hips, breathing still heavy, and started to look around for any sign of the rabbit when a noise caught my attention. It was far off and light, but it sounded almost like singing. I focused on the sound and turned towards the direction I thought it was coming from, hoping the forest wasn't playing tricks on me. As I approached closer I could tell it was a female voice. The song sounded jovial, but there was something melancholy in her tone.

There was a clearing in the distance and I made my way towards it, hoping the owner of the voice was there. As her singing gradually grew louder, I realized I recognized the song.

"I don't worry

Whenever skies are gray above

Got a pocketful of rainbows

Got a heart full of love."

Her sad voice was beautiful and soothing, yet somehow heartbreaking.

"Mister Heartache

I've found a way to make him leave

Got a pocketful of rainbows

Got a star up in my sleeve."

By the time she reached the chorus, I found myself humming along to the tune.

"Kiss me extra tender

Hold me extra tight

'Cause I'm savin' your sweetness

For a lonely night, aye

Aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye."

Not paying attention to my surroundings, I stumbled over a protruding tree root and fell face first through the clearing.

"Umph," another not so graceful noise escaped me. My stomach was flat against the ground and my knees dug into the moist soil. I peered over my shoulder to see the giant root I had tripped over and silently cursed its existence. A twig in front of me crunched and I realized the singing had stopped. I turned my head back around painfully slow, wary of who would be hovering over my defenseless body. I kept my eyes low and found a pair of bright red sneakers standing perfectly still next to my scraped arm. I gradually rose my gaze up to plum purple pants that clung to the stranger's ankles, the edges of a matching coat, and passed gold buttons and pleats adorning it. The stranger appeared to be wearing a military ensemble, apart from the crimson shoes. My eyes caught a flash of silver poking out from her hip. I turned my head to get a better look and could see the tip of a silver steak holstered into a leather belt. I gulped down my rising fear and finally faced the stranger head on.

She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Her dark hair rested in deep waves across her shoulders and down the middle of her back, her bright pink lips were curved into an amused smile and her exotic eyes regarded me curiously. There was something painfully familiar about her like I had met her in another life but I couldn't quite place her. My mind was becoming strangely foggy, but for some reason, I felt safe under her gaze.

She reached her hand out to me with a kind look, and I automatically took it. As her hand made contact with mine, I realized we were complete polar opposites. Where my skin was pale as the moonlight, hers was a rich golden brown, tanned by the sun's unforgiving kiss. Where my eyes were jade like the morning sea, hers were dark and mysterious like an endless night sky. My pale blonde hair reflected the light around us, but hers seemed to absorb it. I stared at her beautiful face examining every feature and noticed she had a strange tattoo along the right side. A thin inked line started just below the middle of her eye and fell down to the base of her sharp cheekbone, forming a single curved teardrop at the bottom.

"Are you alright?" My attention snapped back to her eyes when her velvet voice spoke to me. I realized I must have seemed rude staring at her like that and nervously brushed the dirt off the front of my dress.

"Yes, yes I'm fine. Thank you."

"Have a nice fall?" She smirked, placing her hands on her hips. I let out an embarrassed chuckle and rubbed a sore spot on my arm. "Don't worry, it's not entirely your fault. Elias is a bit of a troublemaker."

"Elias," I asked.

The mysterious girl raised her eyebrows and jutted her chin behind me. I turned towards the direction she motioned to expecting to find a man or boy snickering behind me, but the space was empty. I furrowed my brow and was about to question her again when suddenly, the protruding tree root let out an amused quiver, almost like a laugh, before falling flat against the earth. My eyes widened, and my body went stiff as I rigidly jerked my shoulders back to the girl. She adorned a light-hearted look as she scolded the space behind me. "Now Elias, that's no way to treat a guest." She shook her head and rolled her eyes, "Alder Trees, am I right?"

My mind was blank, and my mouth was dry. Unable to form words I just awkwardly nodded, my eyebrows still glued to my forehead.

"Well, I'm glad you made it. The name's Rose. I've been expecting you," an excited grin spread across her face settling my jittering nerves.

"You were?" I smiled back at her politely, while still slightly confused by her statement.

"Of course! Christian told me you would be joining us, Alice." Rose turned to the side and motioned me to follow her. I obliged and fell in step with her.

"Christian?" The name sounded familiar, but again I couldn't quite place it. "And actually, my name is Lissa." The girl shot me a knowing smirk and looked like she was attempting to raise an eyebrow at me. "That's an odd joke, Alice." I was about to correct her again, but as we walked further into the clearing I became distracted by a long wooden table lounging in the woods like it belonged, covered in dozens of tea sets. Each set had its own unique style and era that it belonged to. Some were simple, painted a solid color of yellow or green with delicate dots adorning them. Others were extravagant works of art. My eyes darted to each, admiring their uniqueness. One that especially caught my eye was an array of swirling blues painted in waves with a group of battling ships that seemed to move along the sloshing water. Another set was made of iron as black as night with pieces of twinkling gold specs that shined like the stars. Rose sat down in front of a deep red set trimmed with white and silver Asian symbols along the top, the center was home to a group of Samurai warriors holding up swords, scythes, and throwing stars ready to pounce off their individual cups.

Rose motioned me to a seat next to her. Not wanting to be rude, I pulled out the chair and obliged her request. Neatly resting in front of me was a classic porcelain set that looked identical to one my mother had once owned. The pot was cream colored with tiny ornate flowers intricately placed in rows around it. Each cup was tulip shaped and had larger individual flowers painted on the sides. I reached for one covered in sunflowers, remembering it as my favorite; my mother always chose the one with daffodils.

"Do you like them," Rose asked me as I inspected my cup.

"They're beautiful," I softly replied.

"Great. Now, can we please start? Our tea is getting cold." I looked up to find where the third voice had come from. I don't know how I hadn't noticed him before, but the white rabbit was sitting across the other side of the table. "You," I exclaimed.

"Calm down, Chris. You know that we serve guests first," Rose admonished. There was a serious look on her face that said she was not the type of girl you wanted to make angry. By the deflated demeanor of the rabbit, it became apparent she also possessed the brawn to back it up.

"Now," her light temperament returned. "Shall we?" I nodded in response, slightly wary of her sudden mood swings but pleased at her jovial tone all the same. I placed my sunflower cup back on its saucer and reached for the floral pot.

"No, no, no," Rose tsked. "Not like that." She straightened up in her chair and cleared her throat. "Time for tea."

As the calm words seeped out of her mouth my pot slowly started to rise all on its own. A huge grin spread across my face as the others followed suit, steaming amber liquid pouring from their spouts as they tilted forwards. Once my cup was filled, the pot tipped back and returned to its original place on the table.

"Wonderful," I applauded. Rose looked pleased by my reaction and lifted her cup to a toast. "To Alice! Our exalted guest. We are honored to have you sitting at our table." I slightly blushed under her praise and thought better than to correct her again. To my surprise, the white rabbit followed suit and we all clinked our glasses together. As we sipped on the tea I could hear him mutter something about timeliness and manners. Rose leaned towards me and whispered still loud enough for the rabbit to hear, "Don't worry about him, he's just cross because he accidentally caught his tail on fire last week. He's been a grumpy bunny ever since," she made a mocking frown at the rabbit she called Chris and we both started chuckling at her teasing. Chris rolled his blue eyes and let out a huff as he sipped on his tea.

"So how long will you be staying," Rose asked me as she plopped an unhealthy amount of sugar cubes into her cup.

"Not long actually. I really need to be getting back," I responded.

"Back where?" Her question threw me off. It should have been an easy one to answer. I knew there was somewhere I had to be, but time and thoughts had been escaping me since entering this place.

"I, I'm not sure actually. But I know it's somewhere important," I stammered. Chris gave me a knowing look over the rim of his cup and Rose's expression turned curious again. I felt embarrassed by my inability to recall where I was going and looked down at the familiar tea set. A hand crept into my vision and rested on my forearm, giving it a comforting squeeze. "Don't worry Alice," I looked up to meet Rose's gaze. "I know someone who can help you! Mr. Caterpillar will have the answers you need." Her excitement instantly lifted my spirits. "We can go visit him as soon as we finish our tea." I smiled and thanked her as we started conversing casually. It was soothing how easily we fell into comfortable conversation, like we were old friends who had known each other forever.

"It's too bad you aren't staying longer," she eventually said. "Tomorrow my love is coming to visit, he would have enjoyed meeting you." Rose stood from the table and walked over to a small desk I hadn't noticed before, gazing lovingly at a photo resting on top.

"Oh, that would be lovely. Maybe next time I can meet him," I politely replied.

"Don't encourage her," Christian hissed at me. I looked over at him to see a stern look on his face as he shook his head. Rose was softly singing the familiar tune from earlier and seemingly entranced by the photo in front of her.

"Mister Heartache

I've found a way to make him leave

Got a pocketful of rainbows

Got a star up in my sleeve."

"What do you mean," I whispered to the rabbit.

"He isn't coming. She hasn't seen him in almost a year." There was a somber tone to his voice and I glanced over at Rose, wondering why she would have mentioned him visiting the next day. I looked at him with a questioning gaze, imploring him to tell me more.

"Rose and Dimitri were once the head of the Queen's Guard. They were best fighters against the Strigoi that Deadland has ever known. They have special abilities, you see. Rose can sense when Strigoi are nearby and Dimitri's fighting skills are unmatched. They were magnificent on their own, but as a team...they were indestructible." His words began to seep into me as images of Rose and another man fighting side by side like the warriors on her teacup danced across my mind.

"The Queen hand-picked them as the head of her guard, a great honor to be selected for. She was beloved by all and loved her subjects equally so, but none more than her closest brother Lucas. One day him and his wife, Moira, went on a romantic excursion in the woods and lost track of time. They were caught in the night by a pack of Strigoi and never returned home. Distraught by their disappearance the Queen went into a frenzy and destroyed the palace gardens that they tended to, accidentally entangling herself in one of the rose bushes in the process and leaving a huge scar across the right side of her face." I gasped at the vision of a woman's face being torn by rose thorns. I looked over to see Rose was still humming and gazing at her photo, the tune mixed with Chris' morbid story sending chills down my spine.

"Eventually, Rose and Dimitri fell madly in love. After the heartache of losing her closest brother, the Queen turned cruel and unforgiving, forbidding any love from being shared in her kingdom. The warriors tried to hide their feelings, but they were ultimately found out. The Queen lashed out at the discovery of her two closest allies' deception and decided to make an example of them. She separated them and banished Rose from the palace, keeping Dimitri close to her side. If they were ever discovered trying to meet, she would force them to kill each other in a battle to the death. The Queen left them with the matching tattoos mirroring her scar as a reminder to anyone else in the kingdom that her word is law."

"That's horrible," I gulped down past a lump in my throat. "But she said he is coming to visit her tomorrow. Does that mean they found a way to see one another," I asked hopefully.

"No," the rabbit solemnly replied. "She says that every day, hoping it will come true."

"So, you're saying that she...she's mad?"

Suddenly, I felt a strong hand rest on my shoulder and realized that the singing had once again stopped. I reluctantly turned around and moved my gaze up to see Rose's dark eyes staring me down. "We're all a little mad here," she softly spoke, a slow unsettling smile creeping up her face.


	2. Chapter 2

**LPOV**

 **Songs:** You've Got A Friend by Carole King, Running from the Cops by Phantogram, Matchstick by American Royalty, Mean Monsoon by Dan Auerbach

Rose's smile split her face wider and wider until the ends of her mouth looked like they reached her ears. Her grip on my shoulder tightened and a disturbing giggle escaped her lips. I wasn't sure if I should join her, or barricade myself under the table. Before I could make up my mind, her light chuckling accelerated until she was cackling maniacally. Her fingers dug into my skin and I could feel bruises forming underneath them. I should have been terrified, and maybe I was at first, but the look in her eyes held no mal intent and resembled desperation more than anything. It was like she was clutching onto me for support rather than animosity.

Her delirious laugh echoed through the forest and tears were escaping the corners of her eyes. "What's wrong with her?" I turned to Chris, worry filling my insides.

"Quick, grab her arms. Sit her in the chair so she doesn't hurt herself." I did as I was told and jostled Rose into the seat next to me. Her body was racking with laughter as she gasped for air.

"What do we do? How can we help her?" I had never witnessed a fit like this before. The horrifying scene before me was enough to make any normal person want to cut and run, but for some strange reason, I had an overpowering urge to help her.

"Sing to her," the rabbit ordered.

"What? How is that going to solve anything right now," I looked at him skeptically.

"Trust me, it will help." His crystal eyes twinkled in the sun, and that familiar look gave me assurance.

"When you're down and troubled,

And you need some love and care,

And nothing, nothing is going right,"

My voice was unsure and shaky at first as I tried to soothe Rose. She was still laughing, but as I continued, it slowly started to die down to a chuckle rather than a howl.

"Close your eyes and think of me,

And soon I will be there

To brighten up even your darkest night."

As I approached the chorus, Rose's eyes focused on mine and stared at me with wonderment. I looked at her and smiled as I continued to sing.

"You just call out my name

And you know wherever I am

I'll come running to see you again.

Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you have to do is call

And I'll be there

You've got a friend."

I paused, noticing Rose's laughing had completely subsided. She sat still, looking at me in awe. "That was _lovely_ Alice," she finally spoke. "Where did you learn it?"

"My mother used to sing Carole King whenever I was having a bad day," I thought back to when I was a child, her loving face lit up as she sang to me. When I grew older I would join her and sing along, my worries quickly melting away with the comforting lyrics.

"Hmm," Rose cooed melodically. "Maybe you could teach me sometime?" There was a shy hopefulness in her tone. I thought sharing something as precious to me as those moments with my mother, to a stranger nonetheless, would have bothered me, but somehow sharing them with Rose felt natural and almost therapeutic. Sitting there with her I suddenly felt like not only could I share anything with her, but I wanted to. I smiled while nodding before giving my response, "That sounds delightful, Rose."

She beamed at my response and hopped up from her seat, grabbing a tiny top hat and plopping it onto her head. "Well then, what are we all doing here sitting around? We've got a date with a caterpillar!"

/

Hearing Rose say that a caterpillar could help me find my way sounded like the ravings of a madwoman, but from what I had seen in the past few hours I wasn't about to turn down help from anyone—or anything. Especially with the sun starting its descent. It was still relatively bright out, but the yellow orb was no longer high above us and was shifting to a darker orange haze.

"How far is this place," I asked Rose as we trudged through the woods. "Aren't you worried about Strigoi coming out soon?"

Rose kept her attention ahead of us. "It's not much further. Besides," she peered at me over her shoulder with a serious look on her face, her hand ghosting over her stake. "I can sense them." Her dark eyes told me she was speaking the truth and she quickly turned back around to move a low hanging branch out of our path.

Christian was hopping along beside me remaining skeptically quiet. Something told me he wasn't thrilled about meeting the caterpillar but why, I wasn't sure. There seemed to be something he wasn't telling me since I brought up the idea of leaving. Before I could ask, Rose's excited voice piped up. "We're here!"

I moved beside her to see another clearing surrounded by mossy trees and giant mushrooms. And when I say giant, I mean GIANT. They were all different colors—red, green, violet—with large white spots on them, big enough to lounge on. Between the moss I could see strange luminous fruit hanging off the branches, pulsing with an orange glow. It made the small clearing illuminate like a dim bar. I walked over towards one of the peculiar trees and reached my hand up to touch the fruit. They felt slick, like plums, but were about the size of pomegranates.

Suddenly, an oddly shaped cloud of smoke wafted by my raised hand and split around my arm as it passed by. I looked to my right and could see a few more clouds heading in my direction. Each one was a color that mirrored the surrounding mushrooms and as they glided along, I could sense they all had their own unique smell as well.

I followed the bulbous trail of cinnamon, mint, and lavender to their origin where a hovering fog rested above a lime green mushroom. I gave a hesitant glance over to Rose who was busy plucking the strange fruit from a nearby tree. "Where is your friend, Rose?" She lazily fanned her hand in the direction of the fog, keeping her focus set on a particularly high target she had in mind.

I turned back to the colorful fog and noticed the smaller clouds had stopped pumping out. "Ahem," I cleared my throat. "Anyone there?"

The mist slowly started to fade and I could see the outline of very tall, very large figure. A vision of a giant caterpillar monster worried itself into my head, but the more the fog dissipated, the more the figure shrunk. Finally, the area was clear and left standing wasn't a caterpillar at all—it was a Moroi. He was about my age, maybe slightly older, with fawn disheveled hair, broodingly handsome features, and an extremely cocky grin. I stared at him in confusion, unsure what to make of him.

"Well, well Little Hatter. What have you brought me today," he called out to Rose. I heard a light grunt and some rustling on the ground as Rose landed from the tree with her desired fruit in hand. "This is Alice," she supplied, plopping down onto a nearby mushroom.

"I see." The Moroi looked back towards me and dipped down into a gallant bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Alice. Welcome to my humble abode. I'm Adrian."

"How do you do," I politely smiled and gave him a small curtsy in response.

"You look regal enough to be a Princess," he smirked at me and flashed me a quick wink. I heard Chris huff in the background and Adrian peeked over my shoulder to greet him.

"Ah, fireball. I almost didn't see you there." Rose let out a giggle and Christian curtly ignored him.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude," I interjected. "But we are supposed to be meeting someone here. A Mr. Caterpillar." Rose took a huge bite of the juicy fruit and motioned over to Adrian.

"That's him," she said with a full mouth. My brow furrowed in confusion at Adrian standing there, seemingly in agreeance with Rose. "Um, you don't look much like a caterpillar."

He let out a light chuckle and leaned his face exceedingly close to mine. "It's the eyes." He raised his eyebrows and I could see that they were a sharp emerald green. "She says they are as green as a caterpillar." He looked over to Rose again and smiled, then backed away from me and walked over towards the green mushroom. Adrian picked up a hose that I could now see was connected to an extravagant hookah, and took a deep drag while lounging on his makeshift Papasan. As the smoke escaped his mouth in a long exhale, the minty green cloud formed into a caterpillar and floated over to Rose. She rolled her eyes at his antics, but couldn't suppress the smile spreading across her lips.

"So, Little Hatter," Rose dipped her top hat at his nickname. "I assume you've come to ask a favor. You know those don't come for free." Adrian took another long drag of his hookah, this time lavender rings seeping out. I heard Christian let out another disapproving grunt behind me.

Rose reached into her purple military jacket and pulled out a small glass bottle filled with some kind of amber liquid. "Is this what you are looking for," she teasingly shook the bottle at him. His eyes perked up and she tossed it over to him. Adrian clumsily caught it, juggling it in his hands before getting a good grasp.

"Ahhh Rose, you are too good to me." He unscrewed the cap and moved the bottle to his lips.

"Uh ah ah," Rose tsked. "Answers first. You know it dulls your talents." Adrian pouted but obliged, slowly putting the cap back onto the glass bottle.

"And what is it I can do for you," he looked between us. Christian moved a little closer to me, his eyes fixed on Adrian's perch. I moved my mouth to speak, but Rose beat me to it.

"Alice needs to be somewhere, but she can't remember where." I was slightly annoyed that she was speaking for me but brushed it off all the same.

"I need to return to where I came from," I added. The longer I was here, the more I could feel my memory slipping away. But one thing was for certain, I didn't belong.

"Hmmm," Adrian pondered. He stared at me curiously, inhaling another puff. His eyes shifted from my face to the space above my head and he looked like he was studying the air around me. "Are you sure about that Miss Alice?"

I jutted my head back at his response. Of course I was sure. I may not remember everything I needed to right now, but I trusted my gut. I had to leave. _Didn't I?_

"It appears you have made some valuable friends here," he motioned to Chris and Rose. "I can see that you have some reservations, but are also at ease." I looked at my two companions—Rose smiling at me reminded me of the comfortable feeling I had around her, and the white rabbit's crystal blue eyes held a look that was almost pleading. I still had this strange feeling that he knew more than he was letting on.

"I...I," it was becoming hard to form the necessary words. "I have," I replied hesitantly. "But I need to go." Adrian gave me a sad smile and let out a sigh.

"Well, in that case," he took another drag of his hookah and the colorful smoke formed into an array of trees and bushes. "This is where you need to go. I'm sure the _rabbit_ can show you the way." I looked over to Chris and he bowed his head shamefully. I finally realized what he was hiding. He knew how to get me back.

"Why didn't you tell me before? Why lead us all the way here?" He kept his gaze on the ground as I questioned him.

"You're the only one who can help us. The only one who can stop—" a twig snapped nearby and Rose immediately shot up from her perch with a stake in hand.

"What was—"

"Shh!" Rose interrupted Adrian. The snarl on her face made her look ready to take on an army and her warrior stance made me believe that she could. Eerie silence spread across the forest. The only sound coming from our short breaths. Everyone was perfectly still, tension radiating from each of us. Suddenly, the silence was broken by a low, disrupting laugh. A woman's laugh.

Christian's eyes widened and shot in Rose's direction. "She's here."

I looked between the three of them, unsure what to say or do. Before I could think, a voice snaked its way into the clearing.

"Hello my dear. I've missed you."

A face appeared from the shadows framed by slick black hair. It was pale and beautiful with familiar crystal blue eyes that sent shivers down my spine. Those eyes somehow reminded me of the white rabbit's, but instead of comforting and understanding, they were cold as ice. As she made her way out of the shadows, I could see she was the vision of perfection. A sleek red dress that clung to her slim figure, tall leather boots that dug into the moist soil, and perfectly manicured nails that matched her attire. Everything about her screamed precision—except for the marred, gaping scar that slanted across the right side of her face.

 _The Queen_.


	3. Chapter 3

**LPOV**

 **Songs:** Lifespan of a Fly by the bird and the bee, Grand Canyon by Puscifer, Fade Into You by Mazzy Star

As the Red Queen moved further into the clearing, Rose quickly holstered her stake and fell to her knees in a frantic bow.

"Your majesty." Her shaky greeting came out barely above a whisper. Unsure how to react, I just stood frozen in place.

Adrian stepped forward presenting her with another deep bow. "Ah, our exalted Queen. To what do we owe this pleasure?"

The Queen looked annoyed by his presence and stepped around him, wafting a hand in his direction as if to dismiss him. He backed away, still crouching down in a bow and moved towards his hookah.

"I heard our little friend had left her perch, and came to see for myself," she looked down at Rose kneeling on the ground as she spoke. "It's been quite some time since you have left that place, my dear. Whatever caused you to do such a thing?" Her voice sounded deceivingly soothing and motherly, but something behind her words held a malicious bite.

"My friend has lost her way and needed help getting back. I thought Mr. Cat—Adrian," Rose corrected, "could help her." She kept her eyes glued to the ground and seemed to tense with every step the Queen took towards her. When she finally reached Rose's position, the Queen bent down towards her face and placed two long fingers under her chin, lifting Rose's gaze to meet her icy blue eyes.

"Did you miss me," the Red Queen hissed.

"Yes." Strangely, it looked like Rose meant it. How could she miss someone who had caused her so much pain?

"Good," the Queen stroked Rose's dark hair. "Because I have brought you something." She lifted her hand in the air and wiggled her fingers as if she were waving at someone behind her. Rose's gaze shot passed her but the Queen kept her eyes fixated on my friend, studying her reaction.

I followed Rose's focus to the clearing where the Queen had made herself known. I half-expected some kind of mythical creature to materialize, but nothing happened. I thought maybe she was toying with Rose when suddenly, a dark figure emerged. He was the largest man I had ever seen. Despite his huge form, his steps were light as air and made no sound as he walked forward; he had broad shoulders with dark hair resting on them, and a handsome face that looked like it was carved from stone. Below his right eye was a thin tattoo perfectly mirroring Rose's.

"Dimitri," Rose gasped. She jolted to stand but didn't make any attempt to move forward. Dimitri stood in place as well, wearing a similar uniform as Rose, except all black. His fists were clenched at his side, and his jaw twitched as the Queen moved to stand behind Rose.

She placed her hands on Rose's shoulders and whispered into her ear. "I have a proposition for you, my dear." The two warriors stared at each other with fierceness and longing from across the clearing. "I know how much you miss your precious Dimitri. How badly you want to be near him, so I have come to show you how merciful I can be." My friend's chest rose in anticipation of the Queen's next words. "Give me the girl, and you can have him. An even trade. Your new friend, for your old love."

The Queen's eyes darted to me and I looked around, confused by what she had just said. "Me? What could you possibly want with me?" A smile crept up her scarred cheek and she dropped her hands from Rose's shoulders.

"There's power in you. I can see it. More power than you even know. And I _want_ it." Her voice sent chills through me and I was suddenly terrified under her stare.

"Rose, you can't. You have to—" Adrian started to argue, but before he could finish the Queen lifted her hand in a swooshing motion. Adrian fell to the ground and purple smoke from his hookah poured out surrounding him. Before I could comprehend what was happening, his body was encased in the smoke, hidden from our view. When the Queen dropped her hand, the smoke cleared revealing that his body had shifted. One moment he was a Moroi boy laying there before us, the next he was a purple striped cat with emerald green eyes. Rose let out a choke and the Red Queen cackled.

"There, now you have two pets to keep you company." I looked over to Christian bowing his head in fear and realized he must have suffered a similar fate. Fury coursed through me and I lashed out at the heartless woman before us.

"How could you?! You...you monster! You witch! What kind of person takes pleasure in turning innocent people into animals, tearing apart your closest confidants for your own amusement, turning everyone around you mad?!" My breathing was heavy and my face was hot. I expected the Queen to retaliate, but instead, she threw her head back and laughed.

When her cruel snickering finally subsided she replied, "Oh, Lissa. I'm not the one who drove them mad."

 _Lissa_. She called me Lissa? My mind started to swirl and pieces of memories I had forgotten started to take shape in my mind. Still confused, I asked, "If you didn't drive them mad, then who did?"

Rose slowly turned her gaze towards me and looked deep into my eyes before speaking. "You did."

My heart felt like it completely stopped as her dark eyes bore into mine and I felt like I couldn't breath. "I...I…" My tongue felt like lead and words refused to form. A cold shiver ran down my arms and I latched on to them, backing away from the accusing stares pointing in my direction.

Suddenly, Rose clenched her stomach and shot a frightened look in Dimitri's direction. "Roza," his deep accented voice was filled with concern and he took a step towards her.

"Strigoi," she shouted. They simultaneously pulled out their stakes and moved to the center of the clearing to stand back to back. I shot my eyes up to the sky and realized the sun had set. When had that happened? Adrian and Christian hopped over to me and stood at my sides.

Before anyone else could speak, two crimson-eyed monsters leaped out of the woods. Dimitri and Rose took action and battled with incredible speed. Christian wasn't lying when he said Dimitri's skills were unmatched. I had never seen anyone move so fast. They moved with a deadly grace that had me entranced up until the moment their stakes struck the carnivorous creatures in the heart. Dimitri strode over to Rose and her breathing hitched as he placed a hand on her cheek. "Milaya."

"More are coming," she whispered. He nodded and gave her one last look, brushing his thumb across her tattooed cheek before moving to stand beside the Queen with his stake raised. Rose ran over to me with a frantic look on her face.

"You have to run. You have to go now." She looked down at Chris and Adrian. "They'll take care of you."

I shook my head in protest. "No. I can't leave you here Rose. It's my fault. I made you this way." She opened her mouth to say something, but another Strigoi launched itself into the clearing. Dimitri threw a kick into its chest and turned around just in time to block an incoming blow from another Strigoi behind him.

"GO!" Rose screamed at us and ran to help Dimitri. Her violent voice jolted my body and the three of us sped into the woods. We ran. We ran and ran until I thought my legs would give out. I kept thinking about Rose in the clearing and was terrified of what was happening.

Distracted, I tripped over another protruding branch and tumbled to the forest floor. My head smacked the hard dirt and caused my vision to blur. "Alice. Alice," a voice above me rang in my ears and I blinked my eyes trying to focus them. Crystal blue eyes and a white-furred face looked down at me. "Alice. Alissa. Lissa..."

"Huh?" I said aloud. The voice was foggy and I blinked again at my familiar name.

"Lissa. Lissa wake up."

I shot my eyes open to see Christian hovering over me, the sun shining on his black hair.

"Christian. You're you again," I responded sleepily.

He laughed with a perplexed look on his face. "Well, who else would I be Liss?"

I looked around me to see I was on the lawn at St. Vladimir's. I lifted myself up onto my elbows and shook my head. "It was a dream. It was all a dream." I let out a relieved sigh.

Christian sat next to me with a calming smile on his face. "You were there. So was Adrian, and Rose. Rose!" The horrifying scenes from my dream slowly started to slip away. "Rose was crazy, and it was all my fault." Christian's expression turned slightly concerned and he gently squeezed my hand.

"Rose is fine. We're all fine. It was just a dream, Liss." His reassuring words caused the last bits of the dream to fade away and I brought myself completely back to reality.

"You're right. I'm sorry, what time is it? How long have I been out here?"

"It's late. We should get you back inside. Come on," Christian stood up beside me and extended his hand to help me up. "I'll walk you."

I took his hand and smiled as I rose off the moist grass. He put his arm over my shoulder and we headed towards campus. A light breeze flirted with the end of my dress and whipped my hair around my neck. I looked behind me at the wards as we walked away, watching the leaves dance in the wind. Just as I began to turn my gaze away, a white rabbit with fur pale as the moon hopped by, and I oddly wondered if he was late for tea.

 **The End.**

* * *

 **A/N:** I know some things seemed a little off and not fully explained, but dreams can sometimes be like that…they don't always make much sense ;). Hope you enjoyed the story and the soundtrack. PM me if you would like the Spotify link.

Bonus track: What's in the Middle by the bird and the bee

Be sure to check out the other VA/Disney crossovers on the VAfiction Tumbler.


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